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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

That's right! In a few days, Boston Green Blog will have a whole new look. A very talented friend of mine, Suzanne, has come up with some amazing ideas for the site and I am excited for you guys to see them.

Conclusion: I don't usually use shaving cream because I find soap and warm water equally as effective. (See my Eco Friendly Guide to Smooth Summer Legs). I will probably go back to my trusty old soap and water after I finish this bottle of Skintimate, because, despite the moisturizing aspect, the product is not worth the artificial fragrances, aluminum products, and parabens. I do love the new bottle though - much more user-friendly than the old Skintimate bottle design.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Recently I received a gift of three Siykatala bracelets from South Africa. Not only are they gorgeous, hand-crafted pieces of jewelry, but they also support impoverished Zulu families. Siykatala means "we do care" in Xhosa. The Siykatala co-op was founded in 1994 and has continued to help Zulu women find sustainable business opportunities. To learn more about Siykatala and their artisans, visit their website.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Last night one of my good friends invited me to go to the "Blood, Sweat & T-Shirts" lecture with her at Bayridge Women's Residence in the Back Bay. The speaker, Jenny Driver, spoke about the pros and cons of globalization and used case examples of how the global economy's emphasis on profits creates a modern day type of slavery, in which factory workers for major corporations are not paid enough to meet their basic needs.

We watched clips of the film "Behind the Swoosh" which chronicled Jim Keady's mission to bring justice to Nike factory workers in the late '90s. The film was both horrifying and inspiring. It shows both how easy it is to be an ignorant consumer, but also how, as consumers, we have the ultimate power to change practices of big businesses. Nike is, in fact, a success story - Jim Keady's explosive research created a PR nightmare for the sportswear company, and changed their practices as a result.

Following the thought-provoking lecture, there was a discussion in which people shared both positive and negative examples of how the global economy affects people in different countries. It was great to hear from a variety of listeners in an open format. At the wine and cheese reception, we discussed these issues further and pledged to each other that we would try to be conscious consumers. All in all, it was an inspiring night, and I look forward to attending future lectures at Bayridge. Topics in the "Think Deeper" series include:

Why the Push for Assisted Suicide - October 17
The Eye of the Beholder: How Men See Women - November 28
The Art and Science of Happiness - December 5
Food & Politics: How the Food Industry Controls What You Eat - January 16
The Morality of Environmental Protection - February 20
The Skinny on Fat - April 17
What is Regenerative Medicine - May 15

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Today's guest post comes from Crissy Trask of GreenMatters.com. Crissy is a well-renowned green living writer and speaker, and I am thrilled that we were able to collaborate on a post exchange.

The post is how to best dispose of latex paint. As many of you may know, I used to be a lead paint inspector with the EPA, so issues regarding house paint are very near and dear to my heart. We are surrounded by paint - and the chemicals paint is made from can affect our health in unexpected ways - so its always best to be informed.

QUESTION: How should I clean latex paint out of brushes, rollers and trays? Is it better to rinse them off in the sink so the water goes to the treatment facility, or to rinse them off outdoors over the ground so the paint filters through the soil?

ANSWER: Let’s take these two cleaning methods one at a time.

Sink cleaning: As long as the paint is latex (water-based), cleaning your painting tools in the sink and rinsing paint residue down the drain is fine. Waste water treatment facilities are set up for this kind of thing and are capable of removing or neutralizing impurities. Many cities prefer this method because they can control where and how impurities are disposed of.

Outdoor cleaning: Tools used for latex paint can be rinsed outside over the ground using a hose provided there is no risk of the tainted water running off into a storm drain or nearby waterway. This means rinsing them over a hard, impervious surface is definitely a no-no. Rinsing on grass is often best because the blades and roots provide a natural barrier that slows down the movement of water across the ground.

When choosing a suitable clean-up spot, give yourself a buffer of at least 15 feet between where you rinse and any edible plantings (on your property or your neighbors) and 200 feet from a natural water source. Choose relatively soft ground so the water will seep into the ground quickly. As it seeps deeper and deeper into the ground, the soil will naturally filter out impurities.

Before clean-up

Before cleaning painting tools, remove as much paint from them as possible. First brush wet paint out of paint trays and buckets into the original container. Then squeeze as much paint from brushes and rollers as possible. (That curved notch on paint sticks is for scraping paint from a saturate paint roller back into the can.) Clean paint brushes and rollers thoroughly to make sure they will last for years.

Boston Green Blog will not submit a post because it is an unbiased site, but we encourage all readers to stay informed and keep up-to-date by following the Green Bloggers Discussing Politics initiative. I look forward to reading these articles and making an informed vote come November.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

One of Newbury St.'s trendiest bistros is also eco-friendly. Cafeteria Boston has clearly identifiable organic meal options (not to mention numerous vegetarian and gluten free options). All beef and lamb is organic and grass fed, and all chicken is free range. Cafeteria also uses local produce whenever possible.

I went last night and had a glass of white sangria and the fig & goat cheese pizza. It was fantastic! I highly recommend Cafeteria - delicious, affordable, and eco-savvy.

-Skin feels smoother after daily use of each product -No commitments regarding packaging

-No parabens or animal testing

Conclusion: Massage and exfoliation are key to reducing the appearance of cellulite - so in order to get the best results, I need to use the oil and exfoliating scrub more often. Luckily, this product is pretty cheap as far as anti-cellulite products go. My main issue with Kneipp is that they still use artificial fragrances in their products despite being a "natural" company. Kneipp has been around for a long time and has made continuous efforts towards sustainability, so hopefully they soon come out with fragrance-free formulations.

Monday, September 10, 2012

As many of you may know, I often rely on EWG's skindeep database for information about chemicals in beauty products. It is a user-friendly way to find out which cosmetics are toxic and which are safe. Just this week, EWG unveiled its new tool that rates household cleaning supplies! The EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning is an essential database, and I look forward to using it as I do future product reviews!

Friday, September 7, 2012

Practically Green, one of my absolute favorite green living sites, is up for a Leadership Award from the Mass Technology and Leadership Council! PG is one of 5 finalists for the Consumer Product of the Year Award.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

There's no need to buy an entirely new wardrobe for fall. That would be wasteful, and totally uncreative! Instead, use these essential items to help transition you summer wardrobe into fun fall outfits.

1. Cardigan. A classic cardigan is the simplest way to wear a summer dress into the fall months.

2. A scarf. Scarves are my fav - they are cute and cover that skin that may no longer be appropriate later in the year - and make all t-shirts work appropriate!

3. Tights. Don't be afraid of nude nylons! They give an extra layer of warmth and most people won't even be able to tell you're wearing them - trust me. Then, when it really gets cold, switch to grey/brown/black/navy tights.

4. Booties. Skirts and flip flops are on their way out, but booties are perfect for that skirt before you go into knee-high boot mode.

5. Blazer. Like a cardigan, a blazer will not only dress up your look, it will also keep you nice and toasty.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Sunday, September 28th is Hub on Wheels - Storrow drive will be shut down and bikes will take over the city! The ride starts and ends on City Hall Plaza where there'll also be a big celebration.Register now to participate.